Ontario to monitor inflammatory illness in children with COVID-19

TORONTO — Ontario’s Health Minister says the province is going to better monitor children after reports of a rare inflammatory illness in kids diagnosed with COVID-19.

Christine Elliott says the province’s case definition of COVID-19 will now include multisystem inflammatory vasculitis, which may appear in children.

She says that although the connection between this inflammatory illness and COVID-19 is not confirmed at this time, the province is taking immediate action “to protect Ontario’s children.”

Elliott says recent data in the country indicates the majority of COVID-19 infections in children are mild and do not require hospitalization.

Some of the symptoms of multisystem inflammatory vasculitis include persistent fever, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as rash.

She says parents should contact their health care providers immediately if their children are having these symptoms.